Protector for shoes.



N. J. JERRY.

PROTECTOR POR SHOES.

APPLIOATION FILED JULY e, 1914.

1,120,310. Patented Deo.8l,1914

3mm/nto@ NAPOLEON J JERRY THE NORRIS PETERS C0., PHOTO-LITHO.. WAlllNxIUN, D

NTTED` STATES PATENT OFFTCE- NAPOLEON J. JERRY, OF IBROCKTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

PROTECTOR FOR SHOES.

Application filed July G, 1914.

To all who/a it may concern:

Be it known that I, NAPOLEON J. Jnlin, a citizen of the United States, residing at Brockton, in the county of Plymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain .new and useful Improvements in Protectors for Shoes, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to an improved protecting device for shoes, and has for its primary object to provide means permanently attached to the shoe upper at the heel thereof, whereby the stocking and the foot of the wearer are protected against injury by nails or other protrusions in the shoe heel.

The invention has for another and more specific object to provide a device of the above character embodying a tapering leather strap secured at its upper end to the flexible portion of the shoe at the back thereof and serving in lieu of the usual leather stay which is provided at this place, and a heel pad of felt or other analogous material sewed to the loose lower end of said leather strap.

The invention has for a further object to produce a device of the above character' which, while exceedingly simple in its construction, is also highly serviceable and of great convenience in practical use.

With the above and other objects in view` the invention consists in novel features of construction, combination, and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter referred to and more particularly pointed out in the specification and claims.

For a full understanding of the invention, reference is to be had to the following description and accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a shoe, the rear portion on one side thereof being cut away to show the present invention applied thereto; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the shoe heel; and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a slightly modified form of the device.

Referring in detail to the drawing S designates a shoe having the usual comparatively soft upper leather portion U, the heel indicated at H, and the sole S.

In the manufacture of shoes, it lis usual to provide a back stay which is stitched or otherwise secured to the back of the shoe Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 8, 191.4.

seriai No. 849,309.

upper on the inner side thereof. The lower portion of this stay is widened and secured to the heel of the slice usually by nails. In the present invention, I provide a soft pliable leather strap 5 which is adapted to be applied to the shoe in lieu of the stay above referred to. This stay tapers longitudinally and its smaller end is sewed or otherwise attached to the upper U of the shoe adjacent the top edge thereof above the heel, and also preferably for a short distance along each of its longitudinal edges. The wider-lower end portion of this leather strap is, howover, free or unattached to the shoe upper. To this free lower end of the strap 5, the rear rounded end of a heel pad G is securely sewed as indicated at 7. This pad which is preferably of felt conforms :in contour to the shape of the heel and is adapted to rest upon the same and fit snugly between the opposite sides of the shoe. When the foot is forced downwardly into the shoe, the :free lower portion of the strap 5 is pressed tightly against the back of the shoe upper, while the heel pad (3 upon which thc heel of the foot directly engages is pressed downwardly upon the shoe heel. This pad protects the heel of the foot and the stocking and prevents nails in the shoe heel from working upwardly and contacting therewith. i

ln Fig. 3 of the drawing, I have shown a slightly modified form of the invention, wherein the felt heel pad G is eliminated and the entire device is constructed from a single piece of leather indicated at S, one end of which is widened and conforms to the shape of the shoe heel, as shown at 9. The narrow endof this leather piece is to be attached to the upper portion of the shoe above the heel in the manner above described, while the unattached widened portion 9 thereof is pressed downwardly upon the shoe when the foot is inserted into the shoe.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, it is believed that the construction, manner of use, and several advantages of my invention will be clearly and fully understood.

'Ihe device being extremely simple, may be produced at very low manufacturing cost and materially adds to the comfort of the wearer.

The device may, of course, be constructed in various sizes and the heel pad of any desired thickness.

lli'hile I have above described the preferred form, construction, and arrangement of the several elements employed, it will be understood that the device is, nevertheless, susceptible of considerable modification therein, and I therefore reserve the privilege of resorting to all such legitimate changes as may be fairly embodied within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed is:

l. rl'he combination with a shoe, of a leather' stay attached to the shoe upper above the heel and adjacent the top edge thereof, said strap gradually widening to its lower end, said widened portion of the strap being unattached to the shoe, and a heel pad conforming in contour to the heel of the shoe and sewed at its rear end to the lower end of said stay strap, said pad being adapted to be forced downwardly upon the shoe heel when the foot is inserted into the shoe.

2. The combination with a shoe, of a leather stay strap tapering longitudinally and having its smaller end attached to the inner side of the shoe upper adjacent the top edge thereof and above the heel, the lower wider end of said strap being unattached to the shoe and freely movable with respect to the shoe and provided with a free heel protector adapted to extend inwardly overA the heel of the shoe and conforming in contour therewith.

ln testimony whereof I hereunto afiiX my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

NAPoLEoN J. JERRY.

I lfitnesses:

JOHN MCCARTY, ADA F. BEMIs.

copies of this patent may be obtained for Jive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, iD. G. 

